Tomorrow
by Reika
Summary: Old and Horrible. Don't read this. Momiji and Kusanagi have a few misunderstandings. This takes place a few years after the Aragami. What is it like when there are no monsters to fight? What about this man invading Momiji's life? Finished Please R & R .
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Blue Seed, nor any of it's characters...I take no credit for them...I bow humbly to the copywrite laws...all hail copywrite laws...heh....i.e....please...please don't sue me. 

*I know this has never been done before, but I have added a suggested soundtrack to the reading of this chapter. I do this because the music that I listened to while writing the story enhanced it so very much. I just thought it might do the same for the reader. Give it a try if you like. If you have a sharing program, all these songs should be easy to find. Please excuse the typos and misspellings...I have no checker program at the moment. Enjoy! and please...please review....this is my first fanfic...well....fic at all.....EVER....so I NEED feedback...good or bad. Just don't flame too much ^.^

Suggested Soundtrack:

"Itch" by Ani Difranco

"When Doves Cry" by Ani Difranco

"Sexy" by French Affair

"Gotta Get Through This" by Daniel Beddingfield

"Come Into My World" by Kylie Minogue

"Nothing Could Come Between Us" by Theory Of A Dead Man

"Bother" by Corey Taylor/ Stone Sour

and "Bother" again. 

give it a shot...see how you like it...maybe it works...maybe it doesn't...but I figured I'd give it a try.

*one more note.... (sorry) this fanfic contains some suggestion and harsh language and should not be read by anyone who does not wish to hear any profanity.*

*BLEEEEP*

Momiji reached out her hand and slapped her alarm clock with such a furor one might think it had insulted her mother just moments before. As her eyes began to slowly open, she groaned and wiped the sleep from her eyes. "Why do I have to get up?" she asked herself. There was nothing to do today. No monsters to kill...the Aragami were sleeping soundly. Her classes at college were out for the summer. There was always Kusanagi, who would most likely show up. He was her boyfriend after all. Big whoop. Not much had changed except the title. She kicked her blankets off and stumbled to the bathroom to turn on the shower. As hot as it was outside, she still loved the water to be scalding. It gave her an opportunity to slip out of her life and into the quiet and warm crevices of her young yet wise mind to examine her innermost thoughts. She knew she shouldn't take too long, as she didn't want Kusanagi waiting. If he had shown up while she was in the shower he'd have no way in. Momiji didn't leave her windows open anymore and she'd refused him a key to her apartment when he'd asked for one. They way she saw it he'd had access to her whenever he wanted since she was 15...everyone had. And she was damn tired of it. She wanted a life that was hers to command. Sure she loved him and wanted him in her life, as she'd told him many times before the start of their relationship. After the Aragami were put to sleep they had spent a lot more free time together. They just sort of fell into a relationship. It wasn't at all how Momiji had dreamt it a thousand times over. There was no professing of love, no passionate kisses, not even any heated arguments. She felt, no, she knew Kusanagi was with her for lack of anything better to do. With the mitamas and the green hair, he must have known that most other girls might have trouble bringing him home to meet daddy. Sometimes when she slept she could feel him stroke her hair or kiss her forehead. Every time she would think to herself "yes, this is it...he's coming around" then there was nothing. No public affection, and not much private affection either. She knew he wasn't much for cuddling, and she knew he'd give his life for her in an instant, but then again...she was the Kushinada. God how she hated that word. It made her feel fragile and weak.

She was suddenly snapped out of her disective state of mind when she heard a knock. Quickly she turned off the water, wrapped her hair in a towel and slipped her robe on. 

"Just a minute" she called, knowing who it was already. She could hear him outside the door mumbling. 

"C'mon momiji, I'm baking out here. You can't still be sleeping".

She took a deep breath and opened the door. He smiled when he saw her face, as he always had...although sometimes it was hard for him. Quickly he eased his gaze over her body and noticed her robe....and that was it. 

"Um...you're....naked" he managed to squeak out.

"Well what do you expect when you get me out of the shower?" she asked him rhetorically.

"I'll be right back" Momiji stated astutely, "just watch some tv or something while I get dressed".

Kusanagi plopped down on her couch and grabbed the remote. He didn't really care what was on; he just enjoyed the domestic feeling of being with her. This felt like _their_house. He wanted it to be their house, but when he'd tried to take the first steps in making it so by asking for a key she'd refused. It still puzzled him...she'd never refused him anything. He was so happy that life with Momiji was so simple. She loved him, he knew that. And he loved her. He'd told her a few times, he didn't see any need to say it over and over if she already knew. Some women are so demanding, but not his Momiji. She never asked him for anything he wasn't ready to give. He could be himself, and she was happy with that. 

Upstairs Momiji gave up looking for something that was A) clean, B) flattering and C) comfortable. She settled for A and C alone. Kusanagi never made any comments about her clothes or how her body looked in them, and looking good was draining. It took effort...so why waste the time? When they were first together all the time after the Aragami had been defeated she never...ever...looked anything less than pristine. She even slept with her make-up on. She knew he'd see her while she rested peacefully at night. But not once did he say anything. He didn't even flip up her skirt to look at her panties anymore. And so she stopped being so aware of how every single hair on her head was placed. She was much more relaxed, but a "wow" would be nice every now and then. 

"You're....naked" Momiji repeated in a very mocking tone.

That dumbass. For a moment she wondered just how he'd react if she came running down wearing only her socks and a smile and pounced on him. "Bad idea" she decided after images of Kusanagi stuttering with a nose bleed came to mind. "Of all the things I want him to do to me...bleed on me isn't one of them".

As she came walking down the stairs in her jogging pants and tank top she stopped. 

"What is today?" she asked herself.

She thought for a moment, trying to remember what was supposed to be important about today. 

"Hmmmm" she purred to herself for a moment. 

"Sweet....angry....jesus" ...today was her birthday...her 21st birthday!

Her first thought came quickly..."that dolt didn't remember my birthday!" 

She calmed soon thereafter though, realizing it was a moot point to get upset when she'd forgotten herself. 

Once she was at the couch, Kusanagi looked up at her and patted the seat beside him. "So do I look different?" she asked him.

"Um....new haircut?" he asked, half expecting to get a slap for not knowing what was really different about her.

Momiji smiled and said "no you freak....it's my birthday!" 

"Oh"..."OH!"...."oh....shi..." he half got out his explicative when she just tugged on his shirt "I forgot too...its okay....seriously".

"Geez" he began, "how do you forget your own birthday?"

"Kusanagi?" she quipped, "when is your birthday?" He just stared at her blankly. Momiji smirked inwardly knowing she'd made her point. "Welp, I'm 21 now...you know what that means." 

Kusanagi just looked at her. She could tell he was trying hard...but to no avail. He really was oblivious at times. After a moment she decided she'd put him out of his misery.

"It means I'm going out."

"Aww Momiji, I don't wanna go out tonight, it's the weekend...it'll be so crowded." 

"Well then you don't have to" she said rather harshly. She didn't like hurting his feelings, but lately she felt this need to get little jabs in here and there. Maybe they'd nudge him into reacting to her a bit.

"Move your ass would you? I need to clean this place up a bit".

Kusanagi blinked. "Move...my....what?...did she say ass?" he thought to himself. 

Simultaneously Momiji herself was thinking about how since she had been going to college these past three years she'd gotten a mouth akin to a sailor's at times. This stuff just came out of her mouth now...she didn't even blush anymore when she said...."f....f....fu....okay...maybe not a sailor". She had her moments though.

She thought back to her first big party and how she'd practically dived into the alcohol there in hopes she and Kusanagi could get into some deliciously precarious position in their drunken stupors. But he just sat in the corner...lips bone dry while she'd made a total ass out of herself trying to be something resembling sexy. Just as she'd gotten the nerve to approach him, she'd walked over, her resolve like steel; she opened her mouth...and threw up on his shoes. For all her effort she'd gotten a mouth full of embarrassment and more...and a really really bad headache. 

She shook the thought off with a shudder and began to pick up the living room. She walked over to her stereo and turned on some music to help her clean. 

As Momiji went over to the closet to get the vacuum Kusanagi wondered whether there was anything he could do to help. Probably not, as she seemed to have it handled, and he didn't know much about housework. Momiji plugged the appliance in and reached for the stereo remote. She cranked the volume up so she could hear the music over the vacuum. Kusanagi watched her as she danced around the room, the vacuum her partner. Her hips moved so naturally. And as she moved her top worked its way up to reveal her stomach and accentuated her gyrating hips even more. "Damn" he thought..."she's really grown into quite a woman". 

He looked out his window to the street below. His dream was dead...no kingdom of the Aragami for him. Here he was...stuck in this miserable city...with these miserable humans. Apparently Lord Susano-oh's punishment for him was to be forced to live among those he despised. He'd learned a few things while living among the humans. He needed a few changes of clothes. If you wore the same thing everyday, people looked at you like you were dirty. If there is one thing he can't stand...it's to be looked at with anything other than fear or respect. Secondly, not **_all _**humans made his skin crawl. He'd found a few of them that were quite intriguing actually. But they were few and far between. Leaning out his window his dark hair hung over his face highlighting his handsome features. This was new...this was strange...this was quite unpleasant. Murakumo was.....bored.

The three girls entered the club with giggles. Momiji had been accosted by Akiko and Sakura to come out and go dancing. Of course Kusanagi declined to join them. The two friends immediately dragged the birthday girl to the bar and bought her a mixed drink and a flaming Sambuca.

Momiji felt the hot liquor sting her insides, and found no solace in the fumes from the flaming concoction she then sucked into her sinus cavities. 

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she screeched at Sakura. "Damnit...my nose is on fire!"

Sakura just gave her a sly grin "Just give it a second...those fumes are 200 proof y'know".

Momiji was pissed enough from the feeling of being punched in the nose "I can't feel anything...that was stupid...ugh". And with that, she got up to go to a table...and landed ass-up on the floor. Akiko lunged to help her while Sakura laughed.

"Don't say I didn't warn you sacrifice girl".

From the balcony level of the club, Kusanagi chuckled to himself. That was his girl. All the maturity in the world wouldn't change that. He loved that about her. She could talk about anything and have the most prestigious, intelligent people in the world eating out of her hand...then she would trip and break something. He followed her here to watch over her...and...well...just watch her. 

It was true...he had felt something recently, but both he and Momiji had heard reports that Murakumo had been seen in the area. They also heard he apparently had no evil plan...for right now. It seemed Susano-oh and Kaede thought maybe he could learn some sort of tolerance if he was forced to live here. Still, he couldn't be too careful. He had to watch over Momiji. 

Part of him even wished some sort of danger would arrive so he could swoop down and save her the way he used to. Since the victory over the Aragami he felt he hadn't much to offer her. Kusanagi played the hero role quite well...but even after three years...the boyfriend role was still giving him trouble. 

He watched Sakura single handedly drag the two other girls to the dance floor. To his surprise Momiji needed no time to adapt. She just started shaking her thing. He watched her...fascinated. This was not the shy girl from 5 years ago who squealed when he stole a look at her panties (which he still did, unbeknownst to her of course). This was a confident and beautiful woman. 

Most people use beautiful as their first term when describing a girl they've just noticed turned into a woman. However, in Momiji's case, nothing was more fitting. Her body had become exquisite, she exuded as much grace as was...well...possible and her face was a trap that many had fallen into. Kusanagi knew about all the boys at her school that had crushes on her. Akiko made sure not one went unnoticed by him hoping she could spark some jealousy out of him for Momiji's sake. 

This beautiful woman...his beautiful woman was out there dancing in the changing soft sea of red, purple and blue light. And she was doing it well. He noted the many stares she was receiving, although she seemed not to notice. Her hair was pinned up, but only partially, it hung around her face and neck. She had on a black tank top with only a tiny wire-thin strap across the back, her back exposed to the eyes of all around her. She wore red pants that...he had to admit...looked like they were made just for her. They were low-cut and when she raised her arms on the dance floor her stomach became exposed as it did earlier with the vacuum. 

Kusanagi found himself wishing he had the ability to dance. He'd love nothing more than to be down there with her instead of up here...alone. 

Murakumo decided that since there was nothing better to do, he'd take a walk. Maybe something would come to him. As he walked down the street in his knee length leather jacket, fitted black shirt, black slacks and boots, he caught many stares of both lust and fear...which is exactly why he dressed the way he did. 

Stopping to light his cigarette he heard some music. The music had a nice beat to it although it wasn't his favorite. He much preferred Bach or Beethoven. 

"Why not?" he thought to himself.

He noticed a line was beginning to form outside this club where the music was emanating from. Although he had nothing better to do, he certainly was above doddling in some line waiting for approval. So he just walked right up to the doorman, flashed a smile and hoped it would work. 

"Wow...aren't we dazzling?" the small doorman with oddly cut cherry red hair squealed.

Murakumo could feel the smaller man's eyes inspecting him. 

"Honey, you go right in...and save a dance for me!" Murakumo jumped when he felt a hand on his posterior. Normally this would result in someone's beheading, however he found himself more shocked than anything else and moved away as fast as his aragami feet could carry him.

Once at the bar he ordered a rum and coke and leaned back to take a look around. Something caught his eye. 

"Who is that?" He didn't even realize he'd asked his question aloud.

The slobbering lad next to him managed to sputter out "I...hi-know...she's one hi-hot tam-hic-ale eh?" then jabbed Murakumo in the ribs a couple times just to drive his point home. 

Murakumo didn't feel a thing. This woman...she wasn't a vision...no flowing hair and gown...she was sweating and moving in conspicuously tight pants. He could smell her, his senses being as superior as they are. He felt something moving in him. For the first time he was actually interested in something in this city. 

Kusanagi scanned the room just people watching he told himself, but he had to admit he was keeping an eye out for other guys hitting on Momiji. His eyes settled on a dark man at the bar. He'd have to keep an eye on that one he made a mental note. Can't have any tall dark and handsome strangers sweeping his Kushinada off her feet. 

It wasn't that Kusanagi wasn't handsome enough. He'd had his share of admirers...a few of which he'd like to forget. Hanging around Momiji but not being seen by her a lot of the time before and in the beginning of their relationship put him around a lot of young girls. Every now and then one would notice him. He chucked at the memory. "Wow, what a babe!" one girl had squealed before handing him her number and fluttering off. Sure, a lot of them had been quite attractive, but he somehow knew that the girl he had chosen would surpass them all in time. 

Refocusing on the man he had a sudden thought "That looks like....Murakumo!"." He must be here for Momiji!" Kusanagi leapt up and was about to swoop down and pull her from the dance floor and proceed to beat the mitamas out of Murakumo when something occurred to him. 

Murakumo hadn't done anything wrong...yet. Kusanagi himself used to work for the aragami. Add to that how mad Momiji would be if she knew he was spying on her while she was out with the girls for her birthday and he decided it would be better to hang back for now. 

Murakumo's gaze had been fixed so long he barely realized the object of his visual obsession for the last few minutes was coming towards him. He quickly prepared himself. Murakumo was handsome, suave, always well spoken...and he knew it. If there was one thing he did not do it's lose his composure. The woman came to the bar. 

"Can I have another one of those flaming spinach something or anothers?"

He was just about to slide up to her, buy her drink and order another for himself when he heard one of her companions call out 

"Hey, Momiji...you sure you can handle another one of those?".

No. This exquisite woman can't be that sniveling awkward girl that was the other Kushinada. There must be a handful of girls named Momiji in Tokyo. He decided it must be another woman with the same name and went to proceed with this plan when he felt a cold wetness all over him.

Looking down, he saw the woman apologizing repeatedly for tripping and spilling her water all over him. "Oh....no" was all he managed to get out. 

Momiji looked up, feeling like a jackass and said "I'm sorry" for the hundredth time. She noticed first that he was tall....very tall....and dark....very dark....and handsome to boot. Momiji felt a flush befall her cheeks. She looked up to his face and began "I'm...um...s....Murakumo?!" 

"Well hello Princess" Murakumo purred, now trying to figure out just how the girl he thought of only as a tool years earlier had turned out so lovely.

"Just what are you doing here?" Momiji demanded. Somehow she knew he wasn't there for her, somehow she knew he wasn't any danger to her world anymore. 

"I was just enjoying a night on the town Princess. Can't a man come get a drink here in Tokyo?" He shot her a smile both wicked and inviting at the same time.

It was odd...Momiji had never thought of Murakumo as a man. A monster maybe...but not a man. 

He looked at her for a moment before asking "can I buy that drink for you?"

"Well no...it's already paid for and why would I associate with you? You tried to kill me, remember?" she spat out.

"Well", Murakumo started "let me buy you and your friends your next round...as a show of good faith?"

Momiji was not as trusting as she used to be, but she agreed out of curiosity more than anything. The two walked to the table where the remaining girls were seated. 

If Kusanagi's eyes had been daggers the club would have served Muraku-bob with grilled vegetables. "What is she thinking?" he said aloud. He leaned forward staring intently at his girlfriend and her company. Was she...laughing? She was...with....Murakumo. 

His blood boiled equally with fear and jealousy. He watched as Murakumo offered her something, and he could tell she accepted. He inspected her as she took the tube and put it to her lips as Murakumo lit it for her. 

She was smoking.

But Momiji doesn't smoke. At least he didn't think so. He'd seen her smoke at parties when she drank...and that was rare. Sometimes she'd smoke during finals due to all the stress...but never casually. Just what was going on here? 

He knew if he got any closer he'd risk being seen, but he had to know what they were saying. He moved, as quietly as possible to a closer section. The upstairs waitress noticing him for the first time slid up and asked if she could get him anything, making sure her cleavage was clearly in his view. However she was disappointed when he murmured "Sapporo" and handed her a bill without even looking up at her. 

The foursome sat and chatted albeit nervously through a couple songs when Murakumo leaned over to Momiji and asked her if she cared to dance with him. She declined, and blushing, told Murakumo that she didn't think Kusanagi would like that too much.

"That's right!" echoed through Murakumo's head. He'd been so focused on her that he forgot she belonged to that cretin Kusanagi. He smirked inwardly "two birds with one stone" he thought. He refused to take no as an answer to his offer, now doubly fuelled at the thought of stealing something Kusanagi holds dear while enjoying himself to boot. 

"C'mon Momiji" Sakura thought she was whispering into her friends ear, but over the music everything had to be said quite loudly, "You'll never get Kusanagi out there with you. The guys not asking for you to bear his child, just for a dance...you said you knew he was here and you didn't think he was a threat anymore. It's your birthday."

"No...no...no" was all Kusanagi managed to choke out.

Momiji reluctantly followed Murakumo to the dance floor and they began to move together although not touching. Momiji was surprised at what a good dancer he was, he was very graceful. She absently wondered whether Kusangi had this grace as he and Murakumo are similar creatures. Quickly she lost her apprehension and began to dance the way she did when no one was watching.

But someone was watching.

Upstairs the waitress handed Kusanagi his beer and bent down to his ear.

"You know..." she spoke into his ear, her words soft as silk, "you don't have to tip me...I get off in an hour...if you want to wait around" and again her advances were ignored."Suit yourself cutie...but I'm taking this for all the energy I've wasted on you" she said as she slipped a couple dollar bills into her top. "It's a shame" she said "whatever you're looking at down there must be special...I really could've shown you a good time y'know".

For the first time, he turned to face her, gave her a half-assed smile and took another swig of his beer. Kusanagi suddenly felt the need to order another one....or six.

He came up with several plausible reasons for Momiji's strange behavior. The first and most prominent being her drinking. Yes, in the morning she wouldn't even believe she'd done these things. But Momiji wasn't acting strange...not really. And Kusanagi knew that. She was being herself...with....him. He would take her dancing...he would buy her drinks....she had but to ask. 

Kusanagi quickly tried to get a grip on himself. She was just dancing with him. Besides, it wasn't like she met him here or anything. They just ran into each other. It just...happened. 

"Oh god" he thought. How many explanations for actions that had shattered relationships began with those words? It-just-happened.

"No" he told himself. This was his girlfriend. His Momiji and she loved _him_. He watched. And watched. And watched.

They cleared the damn floor. And why wouldn't they? Two beautiful people together moving beautifully to beautiful music. The whole thought made him nauseas.

He ordered another beer and a double shot of whiskey. As his vision blurred, he still saw them clearly. Only now his hands were on her hips. She looked like an angel. The club was closing down and the lights flickered to signal the last few club goers that it was time to go home. 

Sakura walked up to Momiji and said "Hey, we're going to an after hours party at Shen's house" as she pointed to the attractive guy in the corner who then winked at Sakura in a suggestive manner "wanna come?"

Momiji declined "I uh...have a lot to do tomorrow...I think I'm just going to go home and flop into bed. I hope I don't wake-up with a hangover." 

"Well do you at least want us to take you home?" Sakura asked hoping she would accept. There seemed to be nothing up with Murakumo but she still wasn't sure about leaving Momiji alone with him. 

"No...its okay...to tell the truth I'm still kind of drunk...I think I'd rather try and walk it off" was Momiji's reply. Then came the very words Kusanagi prayed wouldn't be spoken but somehow knew would.

"I'll walk you home Princess. I insist. You really shouldn't walk home by yourself".

Damn him! What did that purple haired freak want with Momiji?! "If he hurts a hair on her head" Kusanagi began to curse. But inside him, a chord struck. What if he didn't want to hurt Momiji....what if _wanted_ Momiji? 

Upstairs a waitress could be heard. "Look cutie, you don't have to go home but you can't stay here. Unless of course you're waiting for me".

And with that Kusanagi got up and left. 

"Didn't think so..." the waitress trailed off.

Momiji suddenly felt a pang of guilt. "Kusanagi..." This wasn't right. Sure...he'd not wanted to come, but really...what would she think if she found out he'd been dancing all night with Valencia or someone? She suddenly decided she didn't want Murakumo to walk her home...but Sakura and Akiko had already gone. 

"Oh well...she thought....I really shouldn't walk home alone."

"Are you ready Princess?" purred Murakumo. 

"Listen Murakumo...my name is Momiji.....I'd really rather you call me by my name." Momiji was looking at the floor, totally unsure of herself. 

Murakumo tilted her head to meet his gaze. "Okay...Momiji." 

Momiji felt her knees go weak. "Damn" she thought to herself. Why doesn't Kusanagi do that to her anymore? This must be the desire she'd read so much about in romance novels. She'd desired Kusanagi for years...and she still did. He just didn't seem to desire her back. Sure...he loved her. But desire is something totally different in itself. Not once had Kusanagi looked at her like he wanted to devour her. The only hunger she ever saw in his eyes was when she sat a steak in front of him. 

"Y...yes. Let's go. I....I need to get home. I don't feel so good." 

Murakumo wondered to himself how she could be feeling ill when he felt great. For the first time he didn't feel imprisoned by his existence. The duo set out onto the street. 

Kusanagi knew the way Momiji took home. He knew he could catch up to them. He stopped at the store and bought himself a pack of cigarettes. "Let's see what this whole smoking thing's about" he griped. He lit one, inhaled and started to cough. "Ugh"..."That shit'll kill you....bleah" and stamped it out.

He flew to a spot in a tree above a street Momiji had to walk down to get home. She and Murakumo soon came past him. They seemed to be having idle chit chat...nothing too serious. After all....they didn't really know each other. They stopped. They were laughing. "What did he say?" Kusanagi wished he'd heard whatever it was that elicited such a laugh from Momiji's lips.

Murakumo stepped in closer. He grabbed Momiji by the waist firmly. It certainly didn't hurt her. She actually found herself enjoying it. Murakumo ran his other hand up to the small of her back. It sent shivers down her spine. "Prin....er....Momiji" he cooed and moved in closer still. 

Kusanagi couldn't look. He leapt from his spot in the tree and ran full speed for Momiji's house. As mad and confused as he was...he wanted to be near her. Wanted to hear her voice. Maybe if he was there when they arrived he could prevent something even more awful from occurring...maybe. 

His eyes were watering. His vision was blurry. The anger caused his mitamas to glow bright and they burnt into his skin.He arrived and went to go in.

"Oh yeah" he reminded himself. He didn't have a key. Probably so Momiji could bring random men home any time she pleased without worrying about my bursting in. He knew better than that...but at the moment it seemed to help to hate her rather than love her as much as he did. The hate stung....the love felt like it would split him in two. So he waited. He waited on her porch not giving a damn about the mosquitoes or moths that attacked him periodically. 

"God...just come home" he sighed. 

Momiji put a hand to Murakumo's chest and pushed him back a bit. Noting how well shaped it was....like....Kusanagi's. "Look...Murakumo....I don't really know you....I mean...I had fun tonight and all, I just think this might be a little fast. Kusanagi'sprollywaitingformeandIreallydon'twanttohurthimorlosehimrightnow" the last part said with olympic speed.

"I understand" he nodded "I live just a few miles from here. Call on me anytime you want. When you're ready of course" He kissed her hand. 

"Murakumo" Momiji began "I live a block away. I think I'd better walk the rest of the way myself."

"Just be safe Momiji...you never know what kind of people you'll meet in Tokyo" he said the last part with a sly grin. As he began to walk away he turned over his shoulder and spoke to her softly....his words felt like velvet "Kushinada or not....you're still a Princess."

"Oh man...I feel like I'm 15 again...I feel like mom or Mr. Kunikida just caught me sneaking out."

Momiji began her two block trek glad she'd opted to walk the final stretch alone. She had a gut feeling Kusanagi might be waiting for her. He rarely gave her a night to herself. Surely...when she arrived, there he sat, solemnly on her porch. She took a deep breath..."okay Momiji..." she sighed and prepared herself to approach him. 

Murakumo practically waltzed home. This feeling was so new to him. It wasn't love...but it was a definite like. This girl...no...this woman had overheated his senses from the moment he laid eyes on her he wanted desperately to run back to her apartment, take her in his arms and do all sorts of terribly naughty things to her. What the hell was his problem?He thought on it for a moment...then decided he didn't give a damn. He didn't know how much they had in common, he had no clue what her interests were or what she studied in school...but he did know he had to have her. He would have Momiji Kushinada. He didn't know if he could survive denying himself that. His skin already felt as though it would burst. He made the journey home to get some rest if he could after a very...very...cold shower. 

"Oh...hey Kus." Momiji said as calmly as she could. "Been out here long?"

"No...not really" was his reply.

His voice was either A) empty or B) full of something she hadn't heard before. Neither could be very good.

He stood, reached out his arm and clutched her to him as tightly as his arms could hold her. She just stood there....wondering.

"What in the hell has gotten into him?" His hold on her became even tighter. "Ow, Kusanagi...you're crushing me...ow...lemme go okay? What's gotten into you?" she pleaded. She got no answer. "Look, Kusanagi...maybe you'd better go home...besides...you smell like a brewery." 

She felt herself partially pushed away from him, suddenly his hands were on her shoulders and she felt another pair of lips on hers, then, sloppily, he shoved his tongue into her mouth. He withdrew.

"Well you taste like an ashtray".

Momiji blinked. What the hell was with him? Her night was confusing enough without this sudden and first burst of muddled emotion from Kusanagi. "Go home Kus" she told him flatly. "Sleep it off." 

"Momiji?" he asked, his voice almost a whisper, "did you have fun?"

"What?" puzzled, she began to answer his question "yeah...I guess....Sakura, Akiko and I just went dancing...the made me get this flaming something or another and...." She was cut off. 

"Damnit Momiji!" "I saw you!" 

"You...saw me what....?" she asked him...hoping maybe she could play the innocent act. She did feel guilty...but she really didn't think she'd done anything that wrong. 

"I saw you...with him....fuck..." he trailed off and hit the wall, shattering a few bricks as he did so.

"Kusanagi! There's no need to destroy my building, if you want to talk, we'll talk...let's just go inside!" She turned the key in the door and flipped on the light. She barely had both feet in the door before he began again.

"Why him? He tried to kill you, or did you forget? I've never done anything but protect you!"

"You tried to kill me once before too....or have you forgotten that? It looks like someone has a selective memory!" she yelled back at him.

"Selective?"

His cat-like eyes were now narrowed to small slits that looked like they could actually pierce her flesh. "I know everything there is to know about you Momiji...I know every hair on your head....every fleck of color in your eyes!" 

"Kusanagi....I..." she began....without really knowing where she was going with it.

"Don't!" he yelled at her. "Do whatever you want...it's your life..." 

Now she was mad. "Oh kiss my ass Kusanagi!" I was just dancing. Jesus...if you were so concerned about other guys why didn't you just go with me? Oh, I know why....because you never want to do ANYTHING!" 

"Was he a good kisser?"

"Oh no..." Momiji thought..."he couldn't have seen.....shit....the tree....." "I didn't kiss him" she tried to explain but was cut short. 

"I must be seeing things then" Kusanagi said sarcastically.

"He tried to kiss me...but I wouldn't let him". 

For a moment Kusanagi's bleak hopes were lifted, and then he remembered seeing her face when he thought Murakumo was going to kiss her. "Did you want him to?"

"What?" she asked.

"I asked if you wanted him to" Kusanagi spoke softly now...his words calm, yet seething.

"I...I don't...know" 

"Well that's it then...I guess....see you around Momiji...I guess you didn't love me quite as much as I love you..."

"No...no no no no no no no" rang through Momiji's head. "Not now....not like this...." these were the words she'd longed to hear for years...now they appeared as if they may be the last she would hear from his lips. "I do love you Kusanagi!" she yelled after him. "I've always loved you...but you....you act more like my brother than my boyfriend!" "I need more than this....I need...." 

"Murakumo?..." he finished for her.

Now she was noticeably upset. Just who did he think he was? Putting words in her mouth. "No!" "I don't even know him....I just need....more...sometimes..."

He didn't understand how she could need more than...him. He'd given her everything he had. He'd lay down his life for her in an instant. Not because she was the Kushinada...but because he loved her. He'd never imagined anything being more wonderful or pure than the love he had for her....how could it not be enough? 

"Fine..." he told her finally."Go find more..." and with that he was gone.

Momiji felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. Sweet lord she loved him so. This was what heartbreak felt like. She felt like running after him...but she stopped herself. She _did _need more. And if anything was going to be resolved...it obviously wasn't going to be tonight.

She managed to crawl up the stairs and wash the tears from her face. She didn't even bother with pajamas...she just shed her clothing and slipped into bed. Her heart was breaking...she knew that. A million things ran through her head. Pain...fear....anxiety....guilt....anger...and possibility. "Tomorrow" she whispered to the darkness. Right...everything will seem clearer tomorrow.

Murakumo looked out his window..."Princess Kushinada" he whispered to no one in particular. He fiddled absently with the ends of his long hair, his mind far away. 

"This is going to be fun" he thought as visions of Momiji dancing played through his mind. He smiled a genuine smile. Tomorrow...he thought...he would set about making her his own.

Fun was the farthest thing from Kusanagi's mind as he ran full speed home. He didn't want to fly...he wanted to get some of this bullshit...whatever it was...out of his system.

"Damnit....damnit....damnit!" was all that could be heard as he sped past. Few people heard him, as it was now 4 in the morning. 

He finally arrived at his dwelling, his system so overloaded that he was now in his full form. The blades on his back and arms pulsed with so many unmentionable emotions. He made it to his door and fell to a heap at the entrance. 

"Tomorrow...." he thought."Maybe this will all go away tomorrow..." Then his world went black. 

This is but one chapter. I am in the middle of chapter 2. The other chapters will move a little faster than this first one. I think I was more setting a mood than anything. I want this fic to take a direction not directly pointed out in this first chapter so PLEASE let me know what you think. If you like it, or are remotely interested in it at all...please keep reading for lots of new developments. I just couldn't help but think of the characters on a deeper level than the original series allows them. 


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks For the reviews! I've been writing like a mad woman ever since this story popped into my head. Here's the soundtrack for chapter 2 (and please let me know if the soundtrack thing is working or not if anyone has tried it)…..

"Fear" by Sarah McLaughlin

"Playground Love" by Air

"Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps" by Cake

and "Now Or Never" by Dope.

Momiji squinted at the light peering through her window. "Ugh" she managed to get out. She looked over at her clock which read 12:30. "At least I got some sleep" she thought. She wondered briefly how long Kusanagi had been waiting outside...he usually came over around 10 am. "I hope he's not angry" She began to think "Maybe I should give him a key...he waits outside for me an awful lot". 

She stopped dead in her tracks. "Aw...crap" she smacked herself in the head as the events of last night came rushing back to her. "I'd better go find him..." 

She took a quick shower, dressed and headed out to find her wayward boyfriend. "I wonder just why he was so upset". He had been drinking, true, but what drove him to do that? She began to ponder "It's so rare that he drinks heavily...was it me? was it Murakumo?" She wondered if he would've reacted that way had she been dancing with some random stranger at the club. "Probably not" she decided "Kusanagi I guess will always think of Murakumo as the enemy...and the only guy who can give him a run for his money."

 She set out to find him. She decided that she could forgive his spying on her if he could forgive her momentary lapse in judgment. Hell, she even got a heated argument out of it. She knew she wanted more than she'd been getting out of her relationship with Kusanagi, but last night had shown her that he had it in there somewhere. He had the passion she was looking for, he just needed to express it in a...healthier way. 

            Murakumo stretched. He hadn't slept a wink. He'd sat awake all night smelling his hair and shirt from the night's previous events. They smelled like her. Had he the power to bottle the scent, he wouldn't have, he loved the anticipation it filled him with for the next time he saw her. Well...maybe just a small bottle...to tide him over.

 Since he obviously wouldn't see her here in his apartment, he decided to take a walk...even if he didn't run into her, a walk might calm his nerves. He set out into the summer sun in his normal attire, only his sleeves were short today..though still all black...of course. His walk was indeed calming until....

            Kusanagi woke, his head throbbing, his body aching, his heart broken. Why had he been such an ass? he asked himself. He stood up slowly and cursed himself for being so melodramatic with Momiji last night. 

She'd only danced with him, right? She said that she'd pushed him away when he'd tried to kiss her. And now...he'd possibly lost her forever. 

"No" his mind reeled. That simply could not be it. They'd been through a lot...and they could handle this. But she needed to know...she needed to know how much he loved her, and that it wasn't just placid, convenient love. He wanted her...needed her...and couldn't live without her. He knew this before but the fact had been driven home to him last night. He just couldn't bare another man's hands on her...let alone Murakumo's. He paused briefly and wondered if it was Momiji's being with another man so closely....or Momiji's being with _Murakumo_ so closely that turned him into a raving lunatic. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered except that he find Momiji and apologize. He'd cover her in flowers and kisses and sweep her off her feet if he had to. Granted...it wasn't really his style, but he knew what Momiji meant when she said she'd wanted more. She deserved more. He'd been foolish to think that she could be satisfied with a relationship that was only luke warm. Now..he's got to go find her. 

He darted to leave.

 "Owwwwwww" "Okay...first aspirin...then I have to find her." 

            There she was....walking past him. She hadn't seen him. This was his opening. He raced up behind her and took her side as she walked. "Damn she's walking fast!" he thought "where is she going in such a hurry?" "Well hello...."

            Momiji walked at a furious speed to get to Kusanagi's place...hopefully he'd made it home okay. 

"Damn" she cursed "its Murakumo..." she looked up at the sky "Things were supposed to be 

s-i-m-p-l-e today!!!".

 "Its okay" she reassured herself. "If I just walk by reeaallly fast....maybe he won't notice me."

 No such luck...he noticed her like she'd been naked and neon pink in the middle of the street. He slid up beside her with that walk of his that made it look like he floated on air. 

"Well hello" his words were smooth and flowed out of his mouth like liquid. 

"Prin....err....Momiji...heh...sorry...I'm trying I promise...just what do you think you're doing walking down my street without saying hello?" His tone was sincere, yet it underlined something she couldn't put her finger on.

 "Maybe if I'm short with him he'll think I'm busy...or bitchy...or something....anything...just don't look up Momiji....keep charging ahead and everything will be back to normal" although normal was boring...this was too much excitement...her head was cloudy and it made her whole world hazy...she felt dizzy. 

"I'm kind of...um...busy Murakumo" she said as she kept charging forward. From just a step behind her she felt her hand being grabbed....the world was spinning and the next thing she knew....

            Kusanagi had been running all night...and now...all morning. He hoped his aspirin would kick in soon. On his way to Momiji's house he'd stopped at the local grocery store and bought a bouquet of summer flowers. They weren't roses...but they'd have to do. Besides, they reminded him of Momiji. They were bright, colorful, unique...and they smelled so good.

 His pace lessened a little, he'd become confident that he could repair the damage done last night. "It might even make our relationship stronger" he mused "a little more serious". He rounded the corner..he was close now, he could almost see her....in fact he did see her....kissing Murakumo.

            Momiji felt her legs give out from under her again. "He has got to stop doing that to me" she thought. She'd fought the kiss initially, then found herself in a game of tug of war...Momiji vs. Momiji. 

"No...wow....I can't....I can't....help...no help needed" 

Murakumo felt her fighting with herself and it excited him. Part of her wanted him...and he knew it. He deepened the kiss and felt her melt like butter. 

She'd never been kissed this way. "Could someone please locate my brain? I think I left it down the street..." she thought as her cerebrum turned to jell-o. 

Her thoughts were interrupted by a bouquet of flowers that landed at her feet. She turned to look and rounding the corner she saw the tail of a long...red....jacket. 

"Kus" she got out before her mouth was overtaken again. 

Ripping herself away from the kiss she ran to the corner. No sign of Kusanagi. She took off running down the street. When she hit the intersection she had no idea where to go next. Suddenly there was a strong hand on her shoulder.

 "Wherever he went, you won't find him...unless he wants you to." 

Momiji whipped around to face who she already knew was there. 

Murakumo looked at her "he has access to countless places you couldn't possibly get to...with his mitamas I mean".

 She knew it to be true. She hated this. She hated that she'd hurt Kusanagi...he apparently had come to apologize to her. She hated that she was so fascinated with Murakumo and how he made her feel. 

Murakumo bent down to face her. "Look Princess...I didn't mean to cause you any pain. I don't want to complicate your life" he stood and placed a small piece of paper in her palm "you can find me if you want". He took his leave...floating as he went.

 What he'd said to her was only half-true. Though he truly did not wish to bring her discomfort or confusion, he much preferred to have her to himself, that it was at Kusanagi's expense was just an added bonus.

And here he'd come to apologize. He should have known better. How could he have pushed her so far? There was no doubt in his mind now, she wasn't his…and there was nothing he could do about it. He wanted to die.

 The sharp blades ripped their way out of Kusanagi's arms; he looked down at them and began to wonder. He'd always figured that if Momiji did try to leave him it would be because he wasn't…normal. Now she was in an ally, as close as she could be with Murakumo. Murakumo was like him….different. He didn't understand.

 He decided right there that he would always protect Momiji, but she would never see him again. He needed to give it a few days. If this was what she wanted...he simply couldn't bear being around to see it. 

The hours passed…and soon the waning evening light faded completely. Kusanagi felt empty…but still…he did not want to be alone. He turned and jumped down from the roof where he'd been perched for hours and started his journey….destination, unknown. 

            Murakumo couldn't help but smile. He knew Momiji was confused right now, but he'd also felt her body beneath his when he'd kissed her. He knew she wanted him and that she couldn't help it. He knew that if he could only get her to surrender to him there would be no turning back. He could covet her young body as long as he pleased. He had only to wait. His seed had been planted in her brain…there was only a short time before the roots began to spread.

            Momiji sat on the edge of her bed feeling like a truck had hit her…twice. She stared at the slip of paper gripped in her hand. She already knew what it was, though she had yet to inspect it. Murakumo's number and address most likely. She raised a hand to her lips and touched them softly.

 "No…" she trailed off and shook the thought away. 

No matter how hard she tried, her mind kept creeping back to the thought like a child when mommy isn't looking. She stopped the absent-minded dusting she was doing and stared at the scrap of paper. 

"What am I thinking?" she mused. "What if Kusanagi shows up again? I'll never get out of this then..' She decided she needed a few days to cool off and not see either man. Momiji went about her business. That is, the business of keeping herself distracted. But by the end of the night her eyes were locked on the paper again.

 "Maybe if I burn it?" she wondered if that would squelch her curiosity. She'd determined this was the only solution. She located her lighter that she used to light her candles, picked up the paper, lit the corner on fire and tossed it into the trashcan. She turned her back on it…resolved on reducing it to ashes. Her limbs twitched.

 "Awwww" she yelped and plunged her hands into the wastebasket, rooting around until she found what she was looking for. The paper was slowly burning away when she grabbed it. "Ow…ow….ow….hot…damn…ow!" she rushed the paper to the counter and proceeded to beat it on the counter top to extinguish the embers. With her task a success, she opened it to see what had been salvaged. The phone number remained…the address was gone. 

Momiji sat back down on her bed, staring at the phone like it had leprosy, chewing on her bottom lip.

            Murakumo was growing impatient with his Kushinada. If she waited much longer to contact him, he'd have to hunt her down. 

His phone rang. It was sudden and caught him off guard. Murakumo lunged for the phone, halfway ripping it out of the wall as he answered. "He.."  he began with a squeak. 

"Damn" he thought, clearing his throat. "Hello?" he purred into the receiver. There was silence. He did not repeat himself, no, he had a good idea who was on the other line, and he wasn't going to let her slip through his fingers by means of shyness. "Well, Princess, aren't you going to say anything?"

            Momiji cursed when she heard her name…or analog thereof. "How did he know it's me!?" 

"Um…M….Murakumo?" she asked, still unsure of herself. "Are you…doing…anything tonight?" 

Murakumo grinned his usual evil grin…his charms were working. "Of course I am" he responded.

 "Oh…" Momiji trailed off…part of her relieved.

 "What time do you want me to come and get you?" he asked her. 

"But…I thought…" Momiji was confused.

 "I do have plans Momiji….with you." "Well?" Murakumo persisted. "9:30?" 

What was she doing?!…this was a _date_.  

"Good…we'll have dinner. I'll see you at 9:30 where I left you last night?" "Mmnnn" Murakumo mused to himself…things were about to get very interesting for him. 

He had to make his place a little more…comfortable…seeing as how he'd have a woman here soon. Murakumo had a few things in his place he kept solely for impressing the fairer sex.

 Momiji leapt up from her spot on the bed… "It's 8:45?!" she ran scrambling into her closet to figure out what she'd like to wear…and what she should wear, and then decide between the two.

            Kusanagi stepped inside. The room was dimly lit, and smoke hung in the air. It looked like most bars he'd seen, small groups of eclectic people, a hard rock band playing, and people playing pool. He took a seat near the back of the room, satisfied just to have others around him…maybe this could keep him from going insane…for now.

 He glanced around the room. There was a woman…maybe 21 or 22 years old playing pool. He watched her absently for a moment…with nothing better to do. She was very good. She managed to score quite a bit of money off of the men she was playing against. He wondered why he'd never learned to play. He watched the men leave, their pockets empty. The woman waltzed up to the bar to get herself a beer. During her absence from the table, Kusanagi took this opportunity to inspect the game. He looked at the balls and table, finding it interesting and wondered how much fun this game was supposed to be. 

"Care to lose some cash?" He heard a voice behind him.

 Kusanagi whipped around to see her facing him. She was quite attractive. Her dark hair was long and shiny, she was tall with quite a nice figure. He noticed that she seemed to have legs for days. Her gams extended well beyond the boundaries of her black dress. She by no means looked weak however. Her feet clad in huge black boots that just kind of said "go ahead…just make me kick you". She had two spiked bracelets on. And her eyes were a cold steel blue. They were very different from Momiji's warm emerald eyes he'd been so accustomed to staring into.

 "Well…do you wanna play or not?" she prodded him.

 "I…uh…don't know how." Kusanagi seemed kind of embarrassed by this fact. 

"Well you're in luck…I just happen to have a special going on right now. Buy me a drink and I'll teach you." She seemed eager.

 Kusanagi began his first game of pool. He found himself actually having fun although he still hadn't quite gotten the hang of the game. He hadn't even noticed that between the two of them they'd managed to put away 12 beers. 

He did notice some things however… like her breasts pushed against his back as she leaned behind him to help him guide his cue…her hand on his hips to put them in the right place.

 He did not know this woman. He'd had a fairly good time with her in spite of himself. He liked her attitude and humor. Kusanagi needed to laugh tonight. 

"All right you two…closing time" The bartender seemed like he meant business and was ready to lock up. 

"Listen," the woman began "I live above the bar, I can play here after closing…it's kind of how I got so good at it. If you want to stay a while you can".

 Kusanagi thought for a while. He had nowhere else to go. If he left, all that faced him outside was an ugly and dark world. In here he was having some fun...at least…for now. "Sure…why not?" he shot her a smile and it occurred to him he didn't even know her name. "What…heh…what's your name?" he asked her tentatively.

 She realized she didn't know his name either. "Miyun"… "what's yours?" 

He much preferred his last name to his first, but it had…meaning. Momiji had always called him Kusanagi…never Mamoru. He wanted to be away from those feelings right now…and opted for his first name.

 "Mamoru".

 "Hmmm….well Mamoru…better grab your cue. You've been practicing enough, it's time you play against me. Don't worry…I'll go easy on you". Her eyes danced as she spoke.

 She was simple. The simplicity made Kusanagi smile. He had no worries with Miyun. Except the beating he was sure he was about to take. "I'll go easy on you" her words repeated in his mind. Somehow…he didn't think so…

            Momiji had been walking with Murakumo for a few minutes now. "Where are we going?" she asked him.

 "My house." He smiled down at her…he knew she wouldn't protest.

 "His…house…?" Momiji wondered to herself just what it was she was getting herself into. 

Once at Murakumo's she peered around inside. His place was actually quite nice. It was kind of empty, but then…he was a man. The things he did have were suave and modern…they reflected his personality.

 Murakumo emerged from the kitchen with two plates of food. He told her he'd ordered out for them. He took the time to put it out on plates though. Most men didn't think of things like that. He handed her a wine glass and she watched as her glass filled with the dark red liquid. He poured it smoothly, Murakumo always looked like he knew exactly what he was doing. He never seemed to struggle at anything. She found this to be quite alluring. She wondered briefly just how he could be so good at _everything_.

 Momiji took a sip of wine. She didn't really like wine all that much, but this really seemed like a wine setting, so she sipped it dutifully.

 She felt Murakumo's eyes on her. She wondered what he was staring at as she went to lick some sauce off of her lips.

 "Princess?" he spoke in a tone that was low, controlling, and awfully sexy. She just looked at him, her head tilted slightly. "You missed some…right….here….."

There you have it….chapter 2. Let me know how you think it turned out. I still have much to write. There will be more soon.

Reika


	3. Chapter 3 lime

Here is chapter 3 although chapter 2 just went up. I can't help it…I've nothing better to do lately than write.

*WARNING* This fic is a lime and should not be read by anyone under the age of 17. 

Disclaimer: I still don't own Blue Seed….so please, don't sue my pants off…they're all I Have…*Sniff*

Soundtrack for chapter 3

*although this is kind of odd…it consists of 3 songs, one of which is repeated. I really couldn't find any that suited the scenes like they did…

"Don't let it bring you down" by Annie Lenox

"Fields of gold" by Sting

"Shape of my heart" by Sting

and "Don't let it bring you down" again by Annie Lenox

Murakumo took his thumb and gently wiped the corner of Momiji's mouth.  She shuddered with his touch. He tilted his wine glass until the red reached his fingertip.

 The next few moments seemed to happen in slow motion.

 Murakumo took his wine dipped finger and caressed Momiji's bottom lip with it, causing her to lick her lip, her tongue barely making contact with his finger. He ran his hand from her mouth to the back of her head and gripped her hair ever so gently.

 He moved into her with baited breath. She was breathtaking. He stopped just inches from her face to look into her eyes, which were dancing in the flicker from the candlelight. In the pools of emerald in front of him he froze.

 He forced himself to let out a slow, ragged breath. He bent down to her, his nose ran against her cheek… his lips caught her jaw and moved down her neck, each soft kiss like fire. 

Her eyes were closed. A million things should have been running through her head, but there was nothing but warmth. Momiji felt a searing sensation, thick as blood, being poured over her slowly…heating her body. Her hand found Murakumo's neck through his thick hair. She held him loosely…her fingertips barely meeting his skin. 

Murakumo let out a deep breath at her touch. He had to force each breath to leave his chest. He moved his hand to her waist just above her hip and held her firmly to him. He could feel her breasts rising beneath him with every breath she took. His senses were overloaded with the scent of her that seemed to fill the room with an intoxicating haze. 

He began to run his palm up her side, past her stomach, and over the side of her breast. He continued up to her shoulder and along the length of her arm. When he reached her hand, his fingers spread so that they were palm to palm…her hand much smaller than his. He moved his hand to the side just slightly so that he could intertwine her fingers with his own. The grip was loose and gentle. He did not want to be rough with her. For the first time in a long while of a very long existence he felt the true sting of desire. He felt like something inside him was chewing on his stomach…making it twitch and contort. He had no control. He had no plan. He had no choice….

Momiji felt his fingers dance along her palm before he took her hand in his. Her head tilted to the side as if on cue to allow him access to her neck. One hand gripping his neck, the other interlocked with his fingers, she felt him kiss his way down the opposite side of her jaw to her collarbone and down her chest. The warmth within her began to spread until it filled her body completely. She could feel it run through every vein like fire until it had taken over everything. 

Murakumo removed his hand from her hair and moved it down her back, finding her skin soft as silk under his hands. They were the rough hands of a fighter, and her skin felt warm and feminine. He took his time, his exploration a delicacy. Reluctantly removing his other hand from her grasp he placed it where the other one had come to rest on her hips. He pulled her up, his strength showing in the tightening of his muscles. Her back arched to him, her now free hand rested above her head. Her fingers curled one by one as if she were waving slowly at a loved one she'd never see again. He sat up slowly…her neck felt cool as the heat of his breath left her. His dark hair ran along her fingers as he lifted his head from her.

 He stood. 

Momiji stood as well not knowing whether to topple onto him giving herself all at once or run out the door. Before she had a chance to decide, he removed his shirt. She noticed his mitamas…one was missing. Where there were four on his chest, there were now three. A scar lingered in the absent one's place just below the trinity of the remaining mitamas. Her hand reached out to trace the blue shapes imbedded in his skin; while the fingers of her other hand ran along her own chest where her own mitama had been years earlier. She had no scar, but still she could feel the void beneath her flawless skin. Murakumo moved closer to her, running his thumb along her cheek as he did so and for the first time tonight, their lips met. This kiss was something entirely different from the last one. It began slowly. There was no tug of war. Momiji placed her hands on both sides of his face…his angular features beneath her fingers…and ran them around to encircle his neck. The kiss deepened, their tongues dancing…exploring each other's mouths. He began to pull away slowly, drawing out her bottom lip as he did so. He moved his kisses back down her neck and chest before dropping to his knees. In that moment…his head against her breasts in complete submission…his arms around her waist with her fingers entangled in his hair…time seemed to stop altogether.

Kusanagi tried to focus his eyes. He knew he was going to lose this game, but thought maybe he could lose with _some dignity. It was hard to get a straight shot while almost seeing double. He leaned back against the wall, one knee raised and watched as Miyun leaned over to make a winning shot. Had this been Momiji, this would be a prime opportunity to lift her skirt just to see her blush. Before he knew it, his hand moved to do so. He hadn't remembered telling it to. He lifted her skirt and saw that her panties were a shiny blue…and half gone. _

Before he could get out "what the hell are those?" his face was introduced to a fist rather abruptly. 

The hit connected and sent the already off balance Kusanagi toppling into a table. 

Now, had he been sober, he probably wouldn't have opted to pick a fight with a girl. 

Instead, he grabbed her by her wrists and tossed her back onto the pool table…the cue ball made a loud crack as it hit the floor after being launched from its place on the table.

 He had used her to let go of the empty feeling inside him, and now it seemed he would use her to vent his anger and confusion. He did not want to hurt her…but he did not recognize her at this point…she was but another obstacle causing him pain…she had no face nor name.

 He loomed over her, about to raise his fist, when she kicked him with both feet. As he began to fall back, he grabbed her…taking her to the wall with him. 

"You ass!" Miyun spat as she pushed him away from her.

He was not fighting with skill…he was fighting with emotion. His movements had no thought or technique. His only goal seemed to be to obliterate everything in his shadowed sight.

He started to shove her into a corner. Her hands were still on his collar, however, and when she went crashing into a table, knocking the lamp over as she landed, he came with her. 

Both contenders paused. 

The events of the last two days flashed before Kusanagi like a commercial for agony. There was only silence as a surreal mixture of reality and emotion raced through his mind. He grabbed the hair at the back of Miyun's head and lunged at her. She tried to pull away, but his grip was tight and her head was already against the wall. She waited for the pain…but it never came. In its place she felt warmth. 

Kusanagi didn't know why he was kissing this woman with such intensity…or for that matter…why he was kissing her at all. 

She was reciprocating…her hands were now embedded in his hair as tightly has his were in hers. She moved her hands down to his shoulders before slipping his jacket off. He shook it away from him, feeling lighter instantly. Before the jacket had time to land on the floor she was reaching for his shirt…tugging at it eagerly. Once it was free from his pants she pushed it up to his neck…running her hands along his sides as she did so. 

She looked at the four blue beads in his chest curiously. She started to touch them when he seized her hand in mid-movement. 

"Don't touch those" he spoke sharply. 

"Sorry" Miyun started to apologize, but quickly realized she had nothing to add and left her explanation at the two syllables she'd already spoken. She resumed her task at hand at once. 

 The shirt quickly joined the red jacket in a heap on the floor. His hands resumed their position in her hair while hers found their way to his back. 

Kusanagi felt a sting in the back of his brain…it was guilt. The guilt was obvious and painful, but it brought with it the feelings he wanted so badly to forget.  It crept up to him without fail…again and again…it made him angry and he buried his face deeper in Miyun's neck. 

His kisses were not soft…they were violent and furious. He gripped her hair with all of his strength and all but bit into her neck. Miyun's nails dug into his skin with his passionate assault on her. She dragged them down his muscles, leaving welts as she did so. 

Kusanagi removed his hands from her locks quickly, causing her head to land against the wall with a thump. He relocated them to her knees and began to run them up the sides of her legs until he reached her hips. His fingers gripped the strips of fabric beneath her dress…and there was a pause. 

Kusanagi closed his eyes.

He looked out over a cliff…below him was a deep, shining blue sea. He turned around to look behind him…and there was a meadow, rich with flowers and sunshine. He saw her. She was sitting in the meadow, calling to him.

 Momiji…her green eyes as bright as the sun itself. He smiled. He was home. He prepared himself to run to her…and she was gone. The sun seemed to go behind a cloud and all the beauty and life around him began to wither and die. With his back to the sea below…not knowing whether he'd fall to his death, or be enveloped in a wash of blue…Kusanagi fell…

He kept his eyes closed, knowing that if they opened they would almost certainly begin to water and he wasn't exactly sure why. His mind was running so fast it was all he could do to keep it from exploding. 

His eyes snapped open and immediately became small slits as if he wanted the world to know he meant business. He gripped the small strips of fabric once again and began to draw them downward. His hands ran along Miyun's long velvety legs from her hips to her ankles in one fluid movement. His face again was buried in her neck, and she could feel his rapid breath against her. 

He was saying something.

 His voice was barely a whisper. She listened for a moment, intent on deciphering what it was he kept repeating.  Finally, she heard him sigh "Momiji…."

She raised her foot again and shoved him away from her as she hopped up and readjusted herself so calmly that, were it not for the clothes strewn around the room, one might not have even picked up on the events taking place just seconds before. "That's it" she told him flatly. 

The shirtless Kusanagi just stared at her wondering what he'd done wrong. He felt like a failure…like he apparently could never make any woman happy.

"Mamoru…As much as I really…really…hate to do it…" Miyun began "you callin' me another woman's name is a deal breaker in my book."

Kusanagi was confused…he didn't remember saying anything about Momiji, but he knew his thoughts weren't as clear as they could have been. 

Miyun gave him a half-smile as she pointed at her flustered cheeks. "Look at this face…does this look like the face of a home wrecker to you?"

Kusanagi shifted his gaze to the floor. "I wouldn't worry about it…that's not important anymore."

"Well I think it is…" she paused briefly "…you wanna talk about it?" She tried to give his shoulder a comforting pat but realized the irony in it and pulled her hand back before it reached him.

"No"

"Well you are at least going to come upstairs to collect yourself. Don't try to refuse…unless you want another fight?" Her grin told him she was genuinely concerned for him. 

"Fine"

Miyun gathered their things and began to lead the way to her dwelling muttering all the way about how the bar's owner was going to kick her ass in the morning because of the mess.

Once inside her small apartment Kusanagi flopped down on the couch. Miyun took a blanket from atop the couch cushions and wrapped it around his shoulders. "I'm going to go make some tea" she told him. She chose to forgo the shower she'd been looking forward to ever since the interruption downstairs, feeling her strange companion might need a willing ear. 

Through the rest of the night and into the dawn she heard all about the Aragami, the Kushinada and a match seemingly made in heaven that lost its way here on earth. 

Murakumo began to move again after what seemed like an eternity of stillness. He pressed Momiji to him, his palms flat on her back. He moved his hands up, finding the zipper to her dress with ease and began to pull it downward slowly, exposing new areas of her skin to his touch. 

Momiji's head was spinning, her ears ringing…and her heart pounding. At last…she knew what it felt like to be desired. Her eyes were shut tightly. The sensation was overwhelming and threatened her sanity. It felt like a drug…heightening her senses and dulling all her logic. But somewhere….there was a thought…or more like a vision, though it was slow in coming. 

She opened her eyes. The pale yellow light that met her was so bright she pondered for a moment whether she'd gone blind. There was no weight above, below or anywhere around her…she was floating. The light washed over her skin like the warm sunshine of summer. She felt nothing but comfort. She was home. As she floated higher…something began to come into view. The vision filled her with happiness and she knew she was headed towards was her destiny. She smiled and welcomed her ascension with open arms. Momiji could see it now…she was close. Yes…there is was… "home" she thought to herself. It was getting clearer…it was…

…Kusanagi…

Momiji forced her eyes to open. She gathered her will power as she took Murakumo's chin in her hand to lift his gaze to hers.

"Murakumo…I…can't…." 

Chapter 3 is done! I have never written anything lemon or lime (hee hee…reminds me of sprite), so please please let me know if it worked for you _at all. _I neeeeeeed feedback on this if I am to venture further in this vein of the story. Thank you for your time in reading my work. I am ever so grateful. If I could…I'd lick your shoe.

Reika


	4. Chapter 4

Okay…

I must address this. I thank each and every one of you who has reviewed my work. Words cannot describe how much it means to me. Due to your responses, I will now explain my thoughts on Murakumo.

I have always kind of liked him…but that's me. I usually like the bad guy, I don't usually root for him, but I do think said antagonist is usually pretty kick ass. Murakumo seemed to me like the kind of guy who, if in the right circumstances (ie sans Aragami), would be "the cool kid on the playground". You know him…he's the one that's good at everything, suave, sexy and seemingly unattainable. However…he's usually an emotional black hole as well, with some terrible dysfunction of some kind or another…social phobia…abuse…a desperate need for attention…you name it. Everyone seems to know this…yet this cool kid still has the power to make you believe you are subhuman in some awful way…and you come crawling back for more. (and of course I don't mean _you_…I mean…eh…you know what I mean). He's fun to write about…for me anyways. I would have liked it if he were in the series more. 

I know this doesn't help those who detest him already…but I thought I could maybe shed some light on the reasons I chose him for this piece. 

I have decided against a soundtrack for this chapter, and all chapters to follow unless I am requested to post another one. It's just too much work timing the reading and all, since I don't think anyone is actually using it. It was kind of a silly idea to begin with I suppose, and now the chapters can be posted faster because there isn't as much post-production. 

And with no further ado…Chapter 4…

Murakumo looked up at Momiji. "Are you uncomfortable?" he asked her as he began shifting pillows around. 

"Yes…but not like that. I can't…do this. It's wrong" 

Her words were slow, like she was forcing each one through her lips. Murakumo knew this…he could smell it…like fear. 

He gripped her waist and yanked her towards him. He spoke into her neck, his voice low and smooth. "Does it really feel that wrong to you Princess?"

Before Momiji had time to respond he had worked her down so that she lay on her back. He loomed over her, his arms planted on the couch at both sides of her. He looked so primal…like a cat skulking over to its prey. Momiji felt like that prey…scared out of her mind, but unable to take her eyes off of the means to her own destruction. 

Somehow, she managed to writhe out from underneath him and get to her feet. "Look Murakumo, I can't…I won't…and if you give a damn about what I think…you'll just let me gather my things and leave." She let out a deep breath, glad the words had left her. 

Murakumo sat up and ran his hand through his hair. Neither of the two spoke for what seemed like a very long time. Finally, without a word, he stood and sauntered over to table in the corner. He took out a cigarette and lit it, taking a long drag and letting it out slowly before speaking. "If you need to go…go"

"Thank you"

Momiji began to gather her things in haste and made her way to the door. She stopped just short of the handle and turned around to face him "Hey…I…um…"she trailed off. She realized she didn't know exactly what it was she wanted to say and stepped out of the apartment. 

Once outside Murakumo's line of vision she leaned against the door and began to slide down until she came to rest on the floor. She began to weep. The hand that covered her mouth did not shield a few of the salty tears that made their way past her fingers and onto her lips. After a few moments she stood and wiped her face and began to make her way home. 

Murakumo sighed. He had hoped this night would end on a different note. He put out his cigarette and released the last bit of smoke from his lungs before swiping his shirt off of the floor and putting it back on. He felt his insides nagging at him. He knew…somewhere…that he missed her…that he wanted her to come back…that he was lonely. He shook the thought away…it made him weak. He wasn't so much opposed to human emotion these days, but he figured that if he couldn't have it…and he wanted it…and the lack of it caused him any pain…it didn't exist. He picked up his phone and dialed a number after flipping through the black book the phone rested on to find said number. 

"Tara….hi"… "yes I know what time it is"…. "well I just thought you might want to come and keep me company"… "you know who this is"… "its Murakumo"… "hello?"

"Bah! Sleep it is then…" He headed to his bedroom for some well needed rest pissed off, painfully aroused and with a lump in his throat that seemed to go hand in hand with the stinging in his brain he tried so hard to ignore. 

Momiji walked slowly towards home somewhat disoriented. She was barefoot, with her heels hanging from her fingers. Thoughts bounced in her head like rubber balls from one wall to another. Murakumo…his body…her shame…her want…Kusanagi…her guilt…his anger….their love…

Without really making a conscious decision to do so she took off running at full speed. Her arms flung open letting all of her belongings fall to the ground to be left behind. Her hands were reaching out to something….somewhere….her eyes welled with tears…she ran. She knew not where. She was angry at herself for losing control…she was angry at Murakumo for evoking things in her she didn't know what to do with…she was angry at Kusanagi for not being the one to evoke them.

She reached a park and fell to her knees. There, with the sun coming up behind her in the desolate stillness of early morning she let out a long cry.

The sun was coming up. Kusanagi sat on the roof of Miyun's apartment watching in silence. He'd left her a note thanking her for listening to him and giving him place to stay.  She would have made a good friend under dissimilar circumstances. He was wondering to himself what he would do next. His whole life had revolved around the Kushinada, and later Momiji lost that title in his mind and heart. His life revolved around her because he loved her, irregardless of her birth right. He decided to take a walk. He had no interest in being around when Miyun woke up. He really didn't feel like going through all of the formalities of departing. The "well call me sometime"s…the "what're you doing next week"s ….He did, however, opt to leave her his jacket. It was scorching hot outside, and she mentioned how much she liked it. It was one less thing to worry about. Hopping down from the roof, he headed towards the park.

Momiji managed to collect herself. She couldn't explain why…but she felt like everything was going to be alright. She wasn't sure where credit was due for her rapid mood change, but lying in the grass with the new sun on her face she felt like she was okay. This wasn't a state to be underestimated. After a feeling of total despair, _okay is often welcomed with open arms. _

"Maybe I just need a break" she said aloud to herself as she sat up. She got on her feet to head home, still smiling, when she saw him. He looked like a knight walking toward her with the sun behind him. "Kusanagi!!" she yelled.

Kusanagi heard his name.  

"Momiji"

He was ready to rush to her and hold her as tight as he could when he stopped suddenly. His mind was overcome with thoughts of the past two days. Then the guilt set in. He couldn't face her after what he'd almost done. He couldn't face her and know she wasn't his anymore…maybe she never had been. He decided to leave. But before he got the chance she was facing him. 

"Kusanagi….hi" she felt stupid for not tackling him and telling him everything she'd been thinking for the last few hours, but couldn't manage to form a single word. She just kept on smiling. 

"Momiji…I…you look like hell…what happened?" He noticed her bare feet, messy hair and how her make-up looked like she slept in it…which she never did. 

"I was with Murakumo and when I left I came through here and…" her explanation was coming at such a speed she hadn't put much thought into the order of her words and didn't get any farther before Kusanagi turned his back to her.

"I see" Her appearance made sense to him. "Look  

Momiji…take care of yourself okay?" And he was gone.

"Kusanagi….Kusanagi!" she yelled after him. "Please…let me explain!"

It killed him to leave her. But he thought it easier than subjecting himself to her "let's be friends" speech. He heard her calling after him, but did not turn around. He held onto his resolve with an iron fist. It was all he had left.

 He decided to go by her house. He knew she couldn't get there before him and he wanted to stand on the porch one last time. He'd become fond of it having waited there for Momiji on many occasions. He arrived at his destination and approached the steps. He saw something there. It was a large paper bag with a note. 

Murakumo couldn't get any sleep. He finally gave up trying and got up to walk it off. He figured he could maybe find _something _to take his mind off of all of this with a walk through the city. "Maybe I'll get a dog"… "No. no. No furry animals." It disgusted him how accustomed to this life he was becoming. 

He started out onto the street. He was enjoying his walk as much as he could with a clouded mind when he stepped on something. It was Momiji's purse. "I suppose my Princess dropped all her things in her escape" he mused to himself. He picked up her shoes, purse and jacket and took them into a shop with him where he asked for a bag. He couldn't decide whether he hoped she'd be home or not. He felt a need to see her, yet he was not sure he could fully cope with rejection. He decided to take his chances.

He knocked on the door. No answer. He almost knocked again and chose against it. He would have to continue his day and find something else…anything else…to occupy his mind. He left her things there satisfied, for the moment, with just returning them to her. 

Kusanagi read the note aloud. "Thought you might need these. Love, M." He opened the bag. Inside he saw Momiji's purse, shoes and jacket. His fears were realized. What he'd only assumed earlier he now knew. He felt the tingle behind his eyes again. He crumpled the note in his hand and tossed it to the side. He walked away from the house…Momiji and his life as he knew it. Any semblance of peace he thought he'd achieved crumbled. His anger and hurt came rushing back to him like a tidal wave with a target.

He headed home. He wanted to forget his life had ever happened. He wanted to find the edge of the earth and leap away into nothingness. But for now, some sleep would have to do.

Kusanagi opened the door to his tiny apartment. He hadn't needed much space. He spent most of his time at Momiji's house. His house might as well have been a shrine to the girl that was the Kushinada. There were pictures of her everywhere. At every turn there was something reminiscent of Momiji. He tried to ignore it all. He tried to calmly make his way to the bathroom and then the bed to fall into a peaceful rest. 

Not in this lifetime. 

He got in two steps towards the bed before turning to the picture on the wall. It was a simple candid. A 5x7 snapshot of the two of them sitting together smiling. Momiji had Kome's baby girl on her knee. It was taken two weeks after the child had been born to Kome and Yagashi. He'd framed the photo and put it on his wall because it always made him smile. It made him think of what it would be like when they would have children. They looked so happy…it looked like it _was their family…and it made him sick. _

Kusanagi lunged at the picture with his fist, smashing the glass with a powerful blow and knocking it into the floor. He kicked the bent frame under the bed. He couldn't stop now. The fuse had been ignited on her doorstep and now it was time for the explosion. He swept his arm over the table at his bedside, sending everything on it crashing to the floor. In the bathroom he kept a small basket of her things. Things she'd forgotten, things he'd gotten for her…things he kept forgetting to give to her. He reached it, dumped the contents onto the floor and threw the basket into the wall. Screaming, he picked up the items one by one and tossed them in the general direction of the wastebasket. A bottle of perfume, half gone "trash!" a hairclip "garbage!"…a photo. It was the one she kept in her wallet. The one with her rear in the air. He looked at it with a look on his face that was a strange hybrid of sadness and rage. He relocated to stand in front of the mirror at the sink. His eyes lifted up to see his reflection. He saw the red in his eyes and the tear stains on his cheeks. He snapped his eyes shut. "Fuck" he cursed to himself through gritted teeth and took his fist almost instinctively and shattered the mirror. He slumped to a heap on the floor with his back against the cabinets under the sink amongst the broken glass. The blood ran down his arm as he reached up to grip his head in his hands. He felt like a child… but didn't care. He sat there until sleep overtook him. 

Short chapter, I know, but I am writing everyday and I have to stop at some point to get some rest. This way I can go ahead and post the chapter and begin work on the next. As of this after note I am currently half-way through chapter 5. There will be more…soon…very soon…I promise. Please review. And thank you again for taking the time to read my story and put up with my awkward writing at times. This is my first fic. 

See you soon,

Reika


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I still don't own Blue Seed. I am still poor. 

*I apologize for the sudden changes in scenery. I have lines that separate different sections of the story, but they don't seem to be showing up on the web page. Sorry for any inconvenience this causes. This is the last chapter…I think. It says end…but who knows. If something comes to me...I am likely to add it at a later date. Thank you again for reading my story.

Chapter 5….

Momiji picked up the bag on her steps and peered inside it. She looked around wondering who had brought her all of the things she'd dropped. She opened her purse and took out her wallet to find all of her cash still inside. "Well bless you who ever you are" she said to herself as she turned the key. She noticed that her photo was missing. "Oh Kusanagi…where the hell are you…"

She heard her phone ringing. Rushing to unlock the door and answer it in hopes that maybe Kusanagi would give her a chance to explain she tripped on a cord across her floor and went tumbling into her living room, grabbing at the phone as she fell. With the cord around her ankles, the phone antenna caught in her hair and her face against the floor she let out a panted "H…h….hello?"

"Oh hi Sakura…no, nothing happened…yes, everything's fine…no, I really don't feel like going anywhere…because….just because, damn! what are you my mom?…sorry….no, seriously…ugh…fine!…I'll see you at eight, but for coffee only! Then I'm coming home….bye"

"Can I never rest?" She flopped onto her couch to rest. She only intended to lie there for a moment before heading upstairs to wash her face and scrub the last two days away from her skin, but as her eyelids hung heavy, those moments turned to hours of needed sleep. 

Kusanagi opened his eyes slowly. As his vision came into focus he saw the wasteland that was his bathroom. As he stood there was a crunch of broken glass beneath his feet. He bothered not to wash the blood away from his hand and face; his only concern was getting away from all the ugliness around him.

Feeling as though he'd just gotten home, Kusanagi left yet again to set out into what was now the night.

He kept a medium pace…not too fast…not too slow. He did not want to linger, yet he had no clue where he was headed. Without warning, the summer sky seemed to open above his head letting loose the rain everyone had given up hoping for. Kusanagi briefly considered continuing in spite of the storm, but changed his mind with a loud clap of thunder. He didn't like thunder; it breaks one's concentration. Looking to his left, he saw the door to a club or bar of some kind. He pressed his ear to it and could hear music. "Fuck it" he thought and ventured inside. At least it would be a haven from the rain for a short while. 

Inside, Kusanagi saw several very odd looking people. He'd seen people like this before, but never so many of them in one place. Most of the men as well as the women had long hair, and most of them wore all black. They had a lot of make-up on and several of them had metal in their faces or tattoos…or both. He stood for a moment watching the dance floor. Some of the people on it were interesting to watch, but most of them just wiggled around everywhere like something was crawling all over them. "Weird…" he said to himself. He liked the music though and decided to stay a while. He'd take in the scenery and listen to the music if nothing else; hopefully he wouldn't be bothered. After getting himself a beer he headed to the upstairs level where he saw pool tables. "Why not?" he thought to himself…at least now he knew how to play…sort of. He sat his beer on a stand and began to set up the table. He was absently noticing the couches and dark decorations when he heard a voice behind him. 

"Strangers could get hurt up here you know"

Kusanagi turned around to see a young man, roughly the same height as he, but thinner, with long hair and a painted on pale face staring at him.

 "Look…I just want to be left alone, okay?"

The young man, who was wearing all black, did not waiver. "You foolish humans never listen to anything we say…now, we have a little meeting going on up here…and I think you need to leave."

Kusanagi looked around him and noticed details he's missed during his first scan of the area. There were people almost piled on top of each other. Women…men…some who seemed a little of column A, a little of column B. He noticed one of the girls was bleeding from her wrist area, but she didn't seem to mind. He looked at the one speaking to him and noticed he had scars in the same area. He let out a chuckle.

 "What? Do you guys think you're vampires or something?"

The young man poked Kusanagi in the chest and began a verbal assault. With every new sentence he added a poke for good measure, backing Kusanagi up against the wall. "I don't *poke* think *poke* anything. I *poke* am the *poke* master here. You stupid humans are really *poke* asking for it *poke*!"

Kusanagi held in his urge to laugh at the top of his lungs, and opted instead to give the young lad a word of advice. "You know what?" he began "you really should be happy that you're a normal human being. Don't take this shit for granted…you have the chance to lead a normal, happy life. Take it." He really didn't expect the reaction he got for his counsel.

"Do you want to become dinner?" the young man asked Kusanagi rhetorically. He finished his question with a mistake. A…big…mistake. He pressed his palms flat on Kusanagi's chest and shoved backwards. He intended to shove him into the wall; however, this was not going to be this young man's night.

Kusanagi had had it. This kid was way over the line now. He gripped his wrists and spun him around, turning the tables. With Kusanagi's hand gripping the fair faced boy's cheeks, his long nails just short of cutting into him, he lifted the boy's feet from the floor. The mitamas in his hands started to glow a bright blue and the sharp blades ripped their way from Kusanagi's forearms. He spoke through gritted teeth. "Now who wants to be dinner?"

The boy was kicking and pleading to be let down for a few moments before Kusanagi finally dropped him to the ground. The room froze. The people around were staring at him with an odd mixture of fear and hero worship. Kusanagi simply went back to playing his game. He didn't make much progress however before a young woman approached him. She ran her nose along his neck, obviously smelling him, before licking his knuckles, even though they were still caked with dried blood in places. She came back to his ear "I know what that smell is…it's power…and I want it" She started to lick his ear before he grabbed her by her hair and moved her face away from him. He pressed his blade against her neck. He spoke harshly, "If you value that tongue of yours…you'll keep it in your mouth."

"You'll have to forgive my sister"

Kusanagi released the girl's hair and turned to see who spoke. Another woman, though a bit older, stood in front of him. 

She spoke very matter of factly. "My sister is a walking hard on, you'll have to forgive her. What brings you here?"

"That's really none of your business"

"Well I just can't imagine what you'd be doing here. If I could sit with you, maybe you could help me understand…and I could help you as well."

Kusanagi was tired of her advances by this point and snapped back with a quick "No, thanks"

"I really think you should" she pressed.

"Look lady, I suggest you leave me the hell alone. I'm in a shitty mood and willing to share it." Kusanagi had hoped she would leave with this, but she moved closer to him, running her hand along his shoulder. 

She spoke to him again, this time with a low voice that was almost a whisper. "Mamoru Kusanagi…don't you understand? This is all a game. Let fate keep testing you and you will lose." She turned to walk away.

Kusanagi blinked. "How do you know my name?" he called after her. "What does that stuff you said mean?"

She stopped and looked over her shoulder to him; she did not answer his questions. She simply said "find your own path." And she disappeared into the wash of people below. 

He looked around him, everything had been muted. He could see all of them asking him questions, touching his mitamas and chattering about, but could hear not a sound. He hopped over the railing to the lower level and headed for the door. The rain no longer a concern. 

Once the droplets of water hit his face the sound came rushing back to his ears and he realized the horde of his curious followers was right behind him. He leapt into the air to hop from rooftop to rooftop, where he could be alone. Once he knew he'd lost them he sat down under a small covering on the rooftop he'd chosen to stop on. He watched the rain drip in front of him. It was a warm summer shower; the thunder was gone, leaving only the peaceful sound of the raindrops. He began to think of what the strange woman said to him. He tried his best to figure out what it meant and how it applied to him, but failed. Then he remembered the last thing she said…"find your own path"… Although he wasn't sure she meant it this way, Kusanagi began to realize that he didn't really know who he was. He'd spent his whole life in servitude. For one reason or another, he'd never been able to pursue anything he was interested in. He'd had no time to discover just what it was that made him…_him_. He sat and thought about all the things he liked…the things he didn't like…the things that made him smile…the things he loved to do…the things he wanted in life. He always knew these things, but had never taken time to really invest in them. It occurred to him that if he barely knew himself…other people couldn't know him that well either. He must seem terribly bland to the untrained eye. Momiji. She must have driven herself crazy trying to figure out how to deal with him…how to please him…how to surprise him. He was grateful for his epiphany, but couldn't help but wish it had come to him earlier. There, under a small make-shift rain tarp, he decided that now it was time he got to know Mamoru Kusanagi. 

Momiji woke to a clap of thunder. She looked at her clock…7:30. "Ugh…" She forced herself to get up and make her way up the stairs to clean herself up a bit before meeting Sakura for coffee. 

She was walking down the street trying to think of anything but Kusanagi when she saw him out of the corner of her eye. Well…she saw his jacket anyways. His back was turned to her and it looked like maybe he'd died his hair black. He was…smoking? She dismissed the idiosyncrasies and ran towards him yelling "Kusanagi!"

Miyun felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a green eyed girl staring at her looking confused. "Who are you?"

"I'm Momiji Fujimiya…I…thought you were….someone else…"

"OH! So _you're_ Momiji huh? It's good to put a face to the stories. Mamoru was right…you are pretty hot." Miyun followed her comment with a wink. 

Momiji was wondering just who this woman was wearing Kusanagi's jacket and why she was calling him by his first name. "Wait…Kusanagi told you about me? When? Where?...and who are you?"

"My name's Miyun, and yeah, he and I had a pretty long talk at my place. He left his jacket. I like it, so I was wearing it until I saw him again…but you could give it to him if you want."

Momiji felt her cheeks growing hot. Just what was Kusanagi doing at this random woman's house anyways? And why had he left his jacket there? She felt her mind being clouded with jealous anger. "I should have known he'd go running to some random consort! Keep the damn jacket, you'll probably see him before I do…I certainly hope you two have a good time!" Momiji spat as she turned to stomp away; she'd have a difficult time of this though, seeing as how Miyun had a handful of her hair, holding her in place. 

"You listen to me you brat! He's a great guy, and he's sexy as hell. I'd be all over him if it weren't for one unfortunate detail…he's in love with you! If the two of you could just pull your heads out of your asses long enough to see that maybe we'd all get along huh?" She released Momiji's hair as she finished. 

Momiji just stared at her blankly. "He...said that? He said he's in love with me?" 

Miyun nodded. "Yep…really put a damper on my plans."

Momiji mouthed a thank you in Miyun's direction and took off running before Miyun had the chance to give her the jacket. 

Sakura would have to understand. Momiji had more important things to tend to. She really didn't care about the rain, even after she'd dropped her umbrella. She ran to all the places she thought Kusanagi might be…the park…a few trees he liked…a few street corners he was fond of…with no luck. Finally, soaked to the marrow after over two hours of running around, she figured she'd give it one last shot and hope he was at home. She took a few moments to rest and took off running again. 

Kusanagi watched the street from his place on the roof. A girl came running by…it was Momiji. "What is she doing?" he asked aloud. She was soaked. He tried to figure out where she was going in such a hurry and against his better judgment decided to follow her. 

She ran up to his door and began pounding on it. 

He wondered what she wanted. He crept up closer to her so that he could hear her words over the rain. 

"Kusanagi…c'mon…let me in. Are you there?" she waited. And waited. Finally she began to speak again.

 "Look…if you're in there listen to me okay? I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry for everything. I didn't do anything with Murakumo. I couldn't. I left him because I realized I didn't want anything to do with him. I'd been in the park for hours when you found me this morning. I was thinking of you. That seems to be all I can do. I can't stop thinking about you for one single moment, and it's driving me crazy. I love you. I always have. I don't want to be with anyone else as long as I live and I feel like I'm dying without you." 

There was no response. With a heavy heart Momiji turned to walk home, her eyes on the ground.

"Did you mean all that stuff?"

She looked up to see Kusanagi staring at her, a serious look on his face.

"My life has been hell for 2 days and I can't take it if you're not serious. It's now or never Momiji."

Kusanagi had never been so stern with her. She kind of liked it. "I mean every word…just please…don't shut me out."

"Well, why don't you come inside and get dry?" He paused "...be warned…the place is a wreck"

"Thanks"… "Boy...he was right about the wreck" she thought to herself as she entered the apartment. "It looks like someone broke in here…"

"Let's just say I had a shitty morning." He handed her a towel, a t-shirt and a pair of pajama pants. "Sorry" he said "it's the only stuff I have that'll fit you"

"Thank you" she headed for the bathroom to change, but Kusanagi stopped her. 

"Why don't you change in the bedroom, and I'll stay out here, okay?"

"O…okay..."

Kusanagi went into the bathroom and changed his clothes quickly. When he took his exit, he locked the door from the inside behind him. He could break in later, but for now he didn't want Momiji seeing the state it was in. He knocked on the bedroom door. 

"It's open…I'm decent"

He opened the door to see her sitting upright on the bed. She motioned for him to sit beside her. He did so.

"Look Kus, I want to give you something." She opened her palm to reveal a key.

"Momiji, I think maybe we should take things slow for a bit. The last two days raised a lot of questions. You keep that for me for now, okay?"

Momiji tried to mask her hurt feelings. She'd expected a different reaction from him, but then again, he'd surprised her quite a bit the last few days. "Okay" she finally said.

"I don't want to go back into the rain…is it okay if I stay here? I'll sleep on the couch." Momiji half expected to be turned down.

"Sure…I'll…ah…get you some bed…stuff…" Kusanagi got up and headed for the linen closet, Momiji right behind him. He stopped suddenly. "Momiji?"

"Yeah?"

He turned, put his hands on her shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I love you. I really…really love you. I've never felt anything so intense, painful, confusing…and worth all of it, okay?"

Momiji didn't know what to say. She wanted to scream and tackle him to the ground, but the air around her seemed to hang so heavily. She settled with "I love you too. No one else. Just you. Always."

They stood like that for a long time. Ultimately, Kusanagi's expression softened a bit. He pulled her to him with one swift movement. He held her there…close and tight for several minutes.

"Why don't you sleep in here with me?" 

"Thank you…"

That night, with Momiji's head upon his chest while she slept soundly, his hand in her hair and his arms around her, Kusanagi knew who he was. He smiled and drifted into the rest he so badly deserved. 

End

That's it! For now anyways…I may do a sequel…just a whole new story. I dunno. Please review. Thanks so much for reading!

Reika


	6. Epilogue

Here is an epilogue. Please enjoy. I still don't own Blue Seed. PLEASE, please…I really need more feedback. Without it I haven't the will to write. 

Kusanagi waited nervously in Momiji's living room. The pair had just returned from dinner and a movie. They'd decided to take things slowly after the fiasco that was Murakumo. Kusanagi swore if he ever saw him again he'd still break his fingers just for good measure. This had been their first real date since then. Kusanagi wanted it to be perfect. They had known each other for so long and yet…there was much to learn. He'd asked her out a week after the night she spent at his house. 

The date had gone famously well. First he'd arrived at her place with flowers. He handed them to her with a sheepish grin on his face that made it obvious he hadn't done this before. At dinner they laughed, and talked as though they'd just met…learning all sorts of new things about one another. During the movie Kusanagi's hand crept over to Momiji's nonchalantly, like it had maybe been an accident, but of course she hadn't minded. And during a particularly suspenseful part of the film, she'd jumped half way into his lap, allowing him to smell the sweet scent of her hair he'd missed so very much. 

Now here he was, fidgeting in his chair, waiting for Momiji to come back downstairs. He'd been invited back to her house. He knew he'd said he wanted to take things slowly, and they had been, but he just couldn't deny that he loved her. He loved her more than anything in this world, and couldn't risk losing her ever again. He didn't want to take things slow…he wanted to tell her how much he loved her over and over again all the rest of his life. Tonight, he had a surprise for her. He'd rehearsed his lines over and over again after painstakingly choosing which words to use. He sat now, mouthing them silently anticipating her return with an anxious lump in his throat. 

Momiji made her way down the stairs, through the kitchen and into the living room. Kusanagi was sitting in the chair, the room barely lit by the soft glow of the lamp beside him. This had been the perfect night. Their date had gone perfectly, and now it seemed the night would end perfectly with a cup of perfect tea and maybe, if she was lucky, some perfect snuggling. She still felt bad for not giving Kusanagi enough credit when it came to his feelings about her before, but she knew that now, if he'd let her, she'd spend the rest of  her days making it up to him. She turned on the stereo to some nice soft music before turning to Kusanagi.

"Do you want some tea?" she asked.

"Sure…I suppose." He watched her turn to head for the kitchen. "Momiji…wait….could you come here for a second?"

"Okay…is everything alright?" she tried to remain calm in spite of her fear that he was about to tell her they needed to slow down some more.

Kusanagi struggled for a second with the speech he'd rehearsed. But as he opened his mouth, his words came smoothly, and from the heart. All preparation abandoned, he tossed his prepared words away and said what was really on his mind.

"Momiji…you exasperate me, you enthrall me, you drive me up a wall sometimes, you make me want to be a better man, and I think I am because of you. You get yourself into so much trouble that I always worry about you...and you make lousy tea."

Momiji raised an eyebrow at him, somewhat irritated at his comment about her tea, and wondered just where he was headed.

He continued "You're stubborn as hell too. What can I say? But I'm wired this way, and you're wired to me. You are the life and breath in me. I used to be satisfied just to 'have' you, but I understand now that you are not some treasure for me to own. I want to be the person you awake to, and I want you to fall asleep in my arms. I can't breathe without you and every second away from you feels like slow death."

Momiji could feel her eyes tearing; his words seemed to find a direct path from her ears to her soul. Kusanagi was fidgeting with his hands the whole time and she'd decided to take his hand in hers when he did something that caused her to wipe her eyes just to be certain she wasn't seeing things.

Kusanagi dropped to one knee, he wasn't sure if it was the correct knee for this, but he assumed she'd get the point. 

"If you'll let me, I'll be by your side as long as there is breath in me." He produced a small box with a tiny ring inside. The gem inside was not the usual clear diamond, but a rather rough looking blue stone. "I got Matsudaira to remove one of my mitamas. I had a piece of it put in here. I don't need to fly, I just need you. I liked this more than a traditional ring, because it literally came from my heart."

 Kusanagi lifted his shirt to reveal an empty space where the mitama had been on the left side of his chest.

"Momiji, will you marry me?" He didn't know what else to say. His mind was already reeling. He waited in tension for her response.

Momiji couldn't believe her eyes. She tried to remember if she'd taken any hallucinogenic drugs by mistake earlier in the day. She wrapped her arms around him and lost count of how many times she said "yes" in fear that she would awaken and find it all a dream. Her weight eventually toppled them both over into a smiling, misty eyed heap on the floor. 

That night they laid, limbs entangled together on the floor, just staring at each other thinking of all the wonders tomorrow would bring them.

Murakumo walked this street at night quite often. His journey was coming to an end as he headed for home, but to his left he heard a voice.

"Hey buddy, got a light?"

Murakumo turned and flicked on his lighter, preparing to lend the flame to the stranger when he became quite irritated. He hadn't expected to see Kusanagi, but there he was, bending over tying his boot. Why did he need a light? And why had he dyed his hair black? It mattered not to Murakumo. As he flipped his lighter closed in Kusanagi's face as he stood, he realized…that it wasn't Kusanagi…but rather a beautiful woman. 

"Look pal, no need to be rude, but if you insist, I may have to grind your pale ass into the ground!" Miyun spat out, annoyed that this stranger had teased her with the flame. "You might be hot now, but I can fix that pretty face of yours."

Murakumo blinked at the woman. Such audacity…he liked it. "Look, I thought you were someone else. Let me buy you a drink to make up for it?" He extended his lighter in good faith.

"I've gotten that a lot lately" Miyun said. "I'll take you up on that drink."

The pair headed off in the direction of the closest watering hole. 

"You know…I couldn't really have kicked your ass….."

"Yes I know…but I probably would have enjoyed watching you try…"

END

Thank you thank you thank you thank you. Please forgive the ultra mushyness…too much Ani (if there is such a thing). I just wanted to give M/K a more solid ending and wrap up things with Murakumo. Please review. 


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